One thing I really like about
my 12" Apple
Powerbook is the beautiful hardware design. Clean, simple, works
the way you want. I'm particularly impressed with the latch that
holds the lid closed.
When the laptop is open the latch is not visible; just two smooth
slots. But when you close the laptop it shuts quickly and securely.
And it opens cleanly too.
The way it works is pretty impressive. There's a little metal hook
hidden in the screen. When you are about 1cm away from shutting the
lid, a magnet on the other side pulls the hook out. When you open the
lid again a spring retracts it.
Some industrial designer must have spent six months getting this exactly right. Balancing the spring force against the magnet just so. Choosing a spring that wouldn't wear out over time. Figuring out what manufacturing tolerances were necessary to do this reliably, then figuring out how to build it on an assembly line. Expensive design, but the result is worth it. |